When it comes to what’s ‘humane’, it seems the pork industry is at odds with pretty much everyone else...

When it comes to what’s ‘humane’, it seems the pork industry is at odds with pretty much everyone else...

Until recently, it was one of the meat industry’s best kept ‘secrets’. Before they become pork, bacon, and ham, most pigs spend their last waking moments trapped inside CO2 gas chambers.

This is, according to the pork industry, ‘humane’. When described this way — pigs ‘gradually losing consciousness’ so that they are insensible to the pain of slaughter — it even sounds (relatively) pleasant.

Until you see it for yourself.

Hidden camera footage released by Aussie Farms paints a horrifyingly different picture: pigs screaming, thrashing and gasping for air.

‘Gas stunning’ is still the method of choice in Australia’s biggest slaughterhouses.

To fuel the demand for ‘Christmas hams’, thousands more young pigs are now experiencing this every day — despite science confirming that the gassing method outlined in the Australian meat industry standards is likely to cause distress and suffering. Most pigs from all systems — whether factory-farmed, free-range, or accredited by animal welfare groups — suffer this fate.

By labelling pig slaughter ‘humane’, the pork industry is denying consumers the ability to make informed choices. So we took to the streets to see how people might react if they were told the truth...

See how they reacted

Now see what they saw

Pledge to help pigs

Pigs are remarkable individuals. They are curious, smart, and affectionate. They are also suffering immeasurably inside Australian gas chambers. In reality, there’s no ‘humane’ way to kill pigs en masse.

If you think animals deserve better, pledge to enjoy a meat-free week (or longer) full of delicious, animal-friendly meals, and tell the pork industry what you think of their ‘humane’ standard: